Ayushman Bharat CEO Indu Bhushan says the scheme has already received 37,353 claims worth Rs 72.5 crore.
New Delhi: The number of beneficiaries under Ayushman Bharat, deemed the world’s largest health insurance scheme, has touched 47,091 in the two weeks since its launch, the official at the head of the project has told ThePrint.
“The total number of beneficiaries admitted in hospitals as of 6 October is 47,091. Up to 37,353 claims worth Rs 72.5 crore have been received,” CEO of Ayushman Bharat, Indu Bhushan, said.
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The scheme was officially launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 23 September.
The scheme aims to provide health assurance to 10 crore families. It offers medical insurance cover worth Rs 5 lakh a year to poor patients covering pre- and post-hospitalisation, diagnostics, medication and travelling expenses.
An official from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said that 1.2 crore beneficiaries have already received the personalised letter by the prime minister since the launch of the scheme.
According to official data, 35,364 hospitals have also applied for empanelment, of which 14,074 have either been empanelled or are in the process of being added to the list.
Not without hiccups
The roll out of the ambitious scheme has not been without hiccups. While some states are witnessing a slow transition from their earlier health schemes, there have been a few technical glitches.
Four states, Odisha, Telangana, Delhi and Kerala, have chosen not to be part of the Prime Minister’s flagship health scheme, while a fifth, Punjab, joined the programme in the first week of this month after initially holding out.
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“Poor families had to sell their resources for treatment earlier. Now, they will not be pushed to poverty due to health challenges,” Minister of Health and Family Welfare, J.P. Nadda, said. “This scheme is not only to make a Swacch Bharat (clean India) but also a Sabal Bharat (an able-India)”.
Great effort by the government to provide health services to the poor
More funds will be required. The initial provision works out to Rs 40 per capita.